Is Dodge/DCX making another mistake with the 2008 dodge Avenger ?

[DubleDex]

The original Avenger was a nice car who's potential was never fully realized. That is definitely true.

And while the new Avenger may not be breaking any new ground (being very mini-Charger-esque), at least the SRT option means that it could possibly reach the potential that the 1st generation never could.

Dodge definitely needed a midsize sedan in their lineup with the Stratus going away. And quite frankly, while the cloud cars were fine vehicles in their time (I had a 98 Stratus), they definitely don't evoke images of performance when you think the name.

At least the Avenger does. And while you may think "fast" then see "blah" - once again, there's a solid chance for an SRT version which will make the Stratus R/T seem like an old, used-up snail.

[PhantomR/T]

eh, not a fan at all

[WSF]

Hey i dnt care how it'll look as long as Dodge promises 2 give us better and improved cars.
Durability, Reliability, Quality, Safety, and Power.. Dats what i want 2 see in newer dodges...

btw i hate Germans cuz they use too much technology in their cars.

[Chikan]

I have to agree with pretty much everything DubleDex said earlier. One of the reasons I've always been, and probably always will be a Dodge man, is because they dare to be different in their designs. The new Avenger might be similar in size & whatnot to some of the other new sedans on the road, but if you look at the front end, you're never gonna mistake it for a Malibu/FiveHundred/Camry/Accord... And that's why it's cool. It still meets that market niche to compete with those vehicles, without becoming another twin to them. Let's face it: We car buffs may want and love our coupes, but they're just not popular anymore on the large scale.

I felt really out of place in the year I spent working for GM. I watched the 2000+ Impala go from a nicely styled, highly successful sedan, to the Accord-with-a-bowtie look it has on this newest version. I just about vomited when they showed us the first pics of it. And from the Five Hundreds I've seen driving around, they're practically the same. It seems like GM and Ford are trying to leech off the success of the Accords & Camrys. Dodge, on the other hand, is still trying to COMPETE. Leading, instead of following. That's why they're succeeding.

To be honest, I hated the 1st gen Avenger when they first came out, as I felt they were a bland, underpowered replacement for my beloved (and still-owned) Daytona... But the design has grown on me. This new Avenger might not be for everyone, but I think it will definately fill a need. And if they can fill that need while still looking obviously like a Dodge, why knock it?

[Ragamuffin]

Yes, I understand what some are saying and have reinterated that too.I would like to see the Dodge Boys give this baby the ' Production Nod ' ! CHICAGO -- Dodge wants to attract the next generation of car buyers with its Razor concept.




The car has an estimated base price of about $15,000. But there is a lot of car packed into that price.
Start with the engine. At 250 horsepower, the 2.4 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is extremely potent. The 6-speed manual transmission also exemplifies the Razor's driving potential.

To keep costs down, Dodge went into its parts bin for some of the suspension and other underbody parts.
To keep the car light (and cheap) Dodge also kept out all the luxury amenities. Forget about power windows, power mirrors and leather seats. This car doesn't even have a radio!

[l3it3r@gmail.com]

^ I would buy that in a heartbeat. I'd sell the SRT-4 and my daily driver for a LOSS and pick that up ASAP. If they were to make it with current engine choices, it would be about 300HP.

[l3it3r@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by 340 Challenger

"It's almost like nothing they sell, save for the Magnum, can 'fail' in terms of sales."
Sad, but true... and the Magnum (SRT8) is one awesome machine!

agreed. I said it when I was at the SRT Driving Experience "If they had only made the Magnum in SRT trim, it would have been a better Idea"

[DubleDex]

I haven't heard much about the Razor lately. Didn't that hit the show circuit a couple years ago? I remember seeing it... and then seeing it disappear.

I've been figuring that it's another concept never to actually see the light of day. But, with the Solstice and the Sky, perhaps there is more of a niche for this type of car than Dodge initially thought.

The best part is, my wife LOVES the Solstice (I think it's a great looking car, and it's gotten very good reviews in most magazines... seems like a very good car. If I would ever buy a Pontiac.) If Dodge makes this little guy, I could very well make an argument that our garage would feel lonely without one...

... and if they plug in any engine from 250 - 300hp, watch out. Of course, if they make it that cheap ($15k), then it'll be a worse insurance nightmare than the SRT-4, cause every highschool kid will want his high-powered, cheap Fast & Furious car and every giggly sorority girl will want a "cute little Razor."

They need to price it out of that range just so that doesn't happen.

[l3it3r@gmail.com]

"insurance nightmare"? I pay $79/month?

[DubleDex]

Originally Posted by l3it3r@gmail.com

"insurance nightmare"? I pay $79/month?

I was speaking in generalities. I pay somewhere between $80 and $90 per month. Which isn't too bad, especially after piling up a few tickets in short order a couple years ago.

But MSN did rank the SRT-4 as the 3rd most expensive vehicle to insure. And I'm pretty sure I'd be paying far less than $80-90 per month if it was a plain jane Neon!